Three Years In, and Ed Ingram Is Still A Problem

Ed Ingram was the third-ever draft pick by Minnesota Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. The former LSU product was selected in the second round, 59th overall in 2022. He’s started all 32 games he’s been healthy for, but the results haven’t been pretty.

Now, Ingram heads into his third season as a starter, but he may not finish the year as the Vikings’ first-team right guard. He shouldn’t if this sub-par play continues. At this point, Ingram’s play is a glaring weakness on Minnesota’s offensive line.

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It may be time to replace Ed Ingram with Dalton Risner

When training camp got underway, we learned that Dalton Risner wouldn’t be competing for his old starting job at left guard. That job belongs to Blake Brandel, who’s impressed in practices. Yet, part of that change could have also been due to how much Vikings right guard Ed Ingram has struggled throughout the entirety of his NFL career.

Unfortunately, Risner is currently dealing with a back injury, so we didn’t get to see how the 29-year-old is handling his new position change on Saturday against the Raiders. What we did see, was just how badly Ingram performed.

Here’s an excellent breakdown of one of the pressures Ingram allowed while with the first-team offense, causing an errant throw by Sam Darnold.

Ingram pressure on this wayward Addison throw explained – it's all about communication. play to your help! Sound on pic.twitter.com/muFph6hsf2

— Luke Braun (@LukeBraunNFL) August 11, 2024

Ingram saw 19 snaps in his 2024 preseason debut, and they weren’t pretty. According to Pro Football Focus, Ingram allowed two pressures and two hurries, the most among Vikings linemen. So it’s no surprise to learn that he was also the team’s lowest-graded pass-blocker, with a putrid 17.1 grade. My grandma could have done better, and she’s no longer with us.

The lone, somewhat bright spot, was how Ingram performed as a run-blocker, earning a 65.5 grade. This was the fourth-best mark on the Vikings. Ingram has always been better as a run-blocker than he has been in pass protection, with a phenomenal 87.3 grade as a rookie, but he slipped to 54.3 last season. Still, in pass protection, Ingram rides the struggle-bus. In his rookie season, he had a 54.8 pass block grade. Last year, he was even worse, with a 43.6 grade.

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Vikings insider indicates Ingram’s starting job may not be safe

At this point, it’s time for the Vikings to seriously consider replacing Ed Ingram with Dalton Risner. The good news is, they might be considering such a move.

According to The Athletic’s Vikings insider Alec Lewis, “it feels as if one guard spot is still up for grabs.”

“We haven’t talked much about right guard Ed Ingram during training camp. Several weeks ago, defensive lineman Jonah Williams bull-rushed him backward twice in a row. On Saturday, during Darnold’s first series, Ingram was turnstiled, causing quick defensive pressure.

It feels as if the one guard spot still up for grabs is Ingram’s. He remained in the game on the Vikings’ second possession once they pulled the rest of the starters. A possible replacement, Dalton Risner, is currently rehabbing a back injury. It will be interesting to see how Minnesota mixes up this unit in Cleveland.”

The Athletic’s Alec Lewis on Ed Ingram

If Ingram’s poor play continues, they’ll have no choice but to consider other options. He’s headed into the second-to-last year of his contract. It’s possible Risner is the solution at right guard for the next few years, but Kwesi may need to draft a replacement, or sign one during next year’s offseason. Otherwise, if Risner can’t hold his own, we could always see a newcomer enter the mix before the final 53-man rosters are set.

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